I Don't Hate You
by DisneyChannelLove
Summary: Kevin kisses Fred during one of their heated arguments. With the help of Bertha, will he finally admit to Fred how he actually feels?
1. Chapter 1

"FRED!"

Kevin chased after the zany boy, running through the Figglehorn residence. He was currently covered in a sticky substance, Fred's latest attempt at _getting him back_. Like he was going to get away with it.

He finally caught up to Fred, grabbing him by the shirt collar and pulling him back. Fred's shrill screams echoed throughout the house, but that didn't faze Kevin at all. He was used to them by now.

"You are so dead!"

Fred screamed again, fear in his eyes. "Knock it off, Kevin! I was only getting even!"

Kevin smirked. "There is no _getting even_ with me, Figglehorn." He pushed him back. "_I_ get to hurt you while you just stand there and take it like the wimp you are!"

Fred huffed and actually stood his ground for once. "No! I'm tired of you!"

Kevin raised his eyebrows, half surprised that the boy was standing up for himself. "Oh really? And what are you gonna do about it?"

He watched as Fred thought for a minute, then raised a fist and punched him in the shoulder. Very softly. Kevin laughed out loud. "_That's_ what you call a punch?" He raised his own fist and collided it, hard, with Fred's chest, causing him to fall back. "That's a punch, Figglehorn!"

Fred had to catch his breath before he looked up at Kevin. "You are such a jerk!" He quickly stood up and brushed himself off. "Why do you always pick on _me_?"

"Uh, because it's fun." Kevin stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well I think you're just insecure!" Fred retaliated. That struck a chord with the bully as he took a step closer to him.

"What did you just say?"

Fred smirked, noticing his change of behavior. "Yeah! I think that you pick on me because it makes you feel better about yourself!"

"Shut up Figglehorn." Kevin commanded with forced calmness.

"You know that you're mean and a bully, so you put me down. It somehow makes things right in your screwed up head!"

"Shut up!"

"I also think that you're hiding something from the world!"

"No one cares what you think, Fred!" Kevin was shouting at the top of his lungs by this point.

But Fred continued. "What are you hiding, Kevin? What are you _so_ scared of letting people know-"

His question was cut short by Kevin's lips on his own. It took him fully by surprise, as it would anyone else, as he was pushed back against the wall. The kiss was forced and desperate, almost like Kevin was pleading for Fred to shut up.

Which he did.

Kevin suddenly pulled away, his blue eyes meeting Fred's brown eyes. He looked shocked and terrified, realizing what he had just done. He then quickly ran out of there, leaving Fred to stand, still pressed against the wall, with nothing but confusion.

Did Kevin just kiss him?


	2. Chapter 2

"He _kissed_ you?" Bertha asked, her eyes wide.

Fred simply nodded, still shaken up by the whole ordeal. But he looked at his friend when she clapped her hands together. "Aw, that's so sweet!"

"How on earth is that _sweet_?" He looked at her like she's grown a second head.

Bertha rolled her eyes. "_Obviously_ Kevin is in love with you." Now Fred looked at her like she'd grown a _third_ head. "He was just too afraid to show it all these years."

"Okay, what is wrong with you?"

She gave him a look. "Think about it. Why else would he kiss you?" Fred opened his mouth to respond, then realized he had nothing. "Exactly."

"I _highly doubt_ that Kevin is in love with me, Bertha." Fred scoffed.

But she was already in the middle of her thoughts. "And that's why he's always so mean to you." She looked at Fred like she'd just discovered the cure for cancer. "He was making it seem like he hated you to mask his true feelings!"

Fred shook his head and stood up from the couch, beginning to pace around the room. Bertha sighed, a smile on her face. "This is like a Nicholas Sparks novel, just with a twist because you're both guys."

"Bertha-"

"You two actually would be cute together. And this is really romantic, if you think about it. The bad boy, Kevin, falls for the dork, Fred, who-"

"No!" Fred shouted, cutting her short. "This is _not_ romantic, okay?"

"What's your problem?" She asked, her eyebrows raised.

"This is _Kevin_. He bullied me, _tormented_ me, for most of my life!" Bertha's expression deflated. "He's been mean, rude, abusive..." Fred started to number them off on his fingers.

"Maybe he's not really like that-"

"He's a jerk, Bertha!" Fred clarified. "And even _if_ he was in love with me, which he _isn't_, I wouldn't give him a chance!" Bertha gasped. "Why would I?"

"Because..." She began. Then she snapped her fingers. "Because everyone deserves a second chance!"

"Not him." Fred crossed his arms.

"Come on, Fred." Bertha sighed. "You're better than that."

He just looked at her. "Would you give Hitler a second chance?"

"You really put Kevin in the same category as _Hitler_?"

Fred scoffed and began pacing again. "No. But I still don't believe that he's in love with me."

"You never know until you talk to him." Bertha suggested.

"I am not making the first move!" Fred stated, looking almost appalled. "_He_ kissed me, _he_ initiates the first move!"

"Fred-"

"I'll see you tomorrow." Fred muttered, running off to his bedroom.

Bertha watched him go before leaning back against the sofa cushions and sighing. This wasn't right. They _had_ to talk to each other.

And she'd make sure of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Bertha stormed the hallways of the high school, in search of _one_ person in particular.

Finally she spotted him, talking with his group of friends. She huffed and walked over to them, stopping right in front of him.

"Kevin." She stated, causing him to face her. Along with the others.

"Well look who it is, the freaky punk!" Kevin laughed, his buddies joining in. "Where's your boyfriend Figglehorn?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Are you sure you want him to be _my_ boyfriend, though?"

His eyebrows furrowed before she turned to his friends. "I'm gonna have to borrow him for a minute, if you don't mind."

She looped her finger around his shirt collar and dragged him to the nearest supply closet. However, before the door closed, she heard one of the guys call, "Really Kevin? _That_ desperate for a hookup, huh?" She recognized him as Diesel.

But she ignored that comment and stared at Kevin, her eyebrows raised.

"What do you want?" He asked, trying to sound tough but coming off as confused.

"No no, this is about what _you_ want." When he looked even more lost, she rolled her eyes and clarified, "_Fred_."

She saw Kevin visibly tense at the mention of Fred's name, making her smirk.

He tried to smirk as well. "The only thing I _want_ with Fred is for him to jump off a cliff." He walked over to the door, his hand on the knob, when she said something that made him stop.

"Oh I know you kissed him."

He swallowed and turned back toward her. "What? There's _no_ way that I'd-"

"Save it." She interrupted, holding up her hand for silence.

He stared at her before getting in her face. "You don't have any proof."

"Heard it straight from the horse's mouth." She responded, not budging under his intense stare.

"That doesn't mean anything." He chuckled, heading out again.

She sighed and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around again. "I'm not looking to spread it around school, alright? I'm here as a good friend to Fred."

"Wait, he wanted you to talk to me?" Kevin asked, looking confused again.

She shook her head. "No, he doesn't know anything about this." Her smirk reappeared. "Why, was that _hope_ I saw in your eyes?"

He clenched his jaw and looked away. "Yeah right."

"I'm not one to beat around the bush, so I'm just gonna come out with it." Bertha stated. "I know you have feelings for Fred."

"I do not-"

"Don't interrupt me." She told him, causing him to shut up. "I know it. You know it. The problem is, Fred doesn't."

Kevin raised his eyebrows. "He doesn't?"

"Nope." She said, shaking her head. "However he _is_ confused as to why you kissed him."

Relief flooded Kevin's system. He then pointed at Bertha and said, "And that's how it's gonna stay, understand?"

She simply chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh honey, _no_. You're gonna finally come out of the closet and tell him."

He scoffed. "I don't think so."

"Kevin!" She exclaimed, making him jump a little. "Give it up! Don't you want to be with him?" She could tell he was about to say no, so she stood in front of the only exit. "We'll stay here all night if we have to."

He glared at her, so she crossed her arms. "How do you feel about Fred?" He was quiet for a full two minutes before muttering something. "What was that?" She asked, leaning forward. He mumbled again. "Repeat?"

"I love him, okay?" He finally said.

She sighed in content. "Finally, some progress."

"But that doesn't mean I'm just gonna admit it to the world, okay?" Kevin stated. "I'm not even sure I'm gay, I just..."

"You just know that you love him?" She asked, and for the first time she sounded sympathetic.

He could barely look her in the eye as he nodded. "Yeah."

"Well then tell him!" He opened his mouth, so she quickly said, "And that doesn't mean that you have to hold hands with him in the hallway. But he deserves to know the truth. He's apart of this too."

"I know he is!" Kevin sounded frustrated. "You know, I was perfectly fine until _you_ got involved!" He leaned against the wall and slid down it, holding his head in his hands. "God, _why_ did I kiss him?"

"Because you want to be with him." She explained, bending on her knees to be eye level with him. He looked up and she smiled. "Your feelings finally got the better of you."

He sniffed, and she could tell he was getting emotional. "I don't want this, okay? I _hate_ that I feel this way, but I just..._can't_ feel differently."

She sighed. "Just talk to him. I know you'll feel at least a _little_ bit better."

He still looked hesitant, but nodded anyway. He then stood up, along with her, but before they left he said, "_No one_ can know about this."

She nodded. "Don't worry, there are better things to talk about."

He rolled his eyes and walked out.


	4. Chapter 4

Kevin was leaning up against a row of lockers as class let out, looking for _one_ person specifically. When he saw them he quickly grabbed their arm and forced them into a nearby supply closet, abruptly, as usual.

"What the hell?" Bertha exclaimed, ripping herself from his grip.

"I can't go through with it." Kevin said almost automatically, an unidentifiable kind of fear in his blue eyes.

She looked up at him after brushing her jacket off, frowning. "What are you talking about-"

"The thing with Fred!" He stated, his voice rising a few octaves. "I mean Figglehorn! I mean-" Suddenly he threw his hat against the wall and groaned.

"Kevin! Kevin, _calm down_." Bertha tried, placing her hands on his shoulders. "People are going to hear you!"

"Well what am I _supposed_ to do?" He asked almost desperately.

"Okay, let's just talk this out." She said smoothly. He simply nodded and she could see the red in his face slowly fade away. "What are you so freaked about?"

"Telling him how I feel." Kevin sighed. He leaned against the wall, looking down. "I'm not good with…_feelings_, alright? Never have been."

"Yes, but you're gonna have to be with Fred."

"I know that!" He shouted, getting riled up again. But when he saw the look she gave him, he looked down again. "I know."

"Look, _all_ you have to do is be honest with him. Tell him how you really feel." Bertha explained.

"You make it sound so easy." He muttered. Then he glanced at her. "I just don't think I can, alright? I've been perfectly fine keeping it bottled up."

"That can't _possibly_ be healthy." She rolled her eyes. "People aren't supposed to keep things inside! Ever heard of the phrase _honesty is the best policy_?"

"At least it would be easier!" He said. "Continuing how I am just makes sense. This way I won't be an outcast to society."

"And that's what you think homosexuals are?" She raised an eyebrow, her hands on her hips.

He shrugged. "I don't know!"

She nodded and took a step closer. "_Clearly_ you need to be educated. You are the way you are, Kevin. It's not like it's a choice!"

"Most people don't see it that way." He pointed out.

She sighed. "Like I said before, you don't have to _parade_ your feelings around town. You just have to be honest with Fred." She made sure to put emphasis on every word.

He was quiet for a full minute, then shrugged. "You're, like, his friend right?"

She flipped her hair. "That's _one_ way to put it."

"So you know him better than I do." He raised his eyebrows. She nodded. "Well…how do you think he'll, you know, react when – _if_ – I tell him?"

Bertha crossed her arms and shrugged. "I don't know, I mean…he wasn't exactly _thrilled_ about the kiss when he told me." At this Kevin looked down, not going unnoticed by her. "But that's only because it was so sudden and _abrupt-_"

"Right." He rolled his eyes, pushing off the wall.

She saw that he was considering leaving, so she said, "Would it help if I told you he was also gay?"

Kevin looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed. "What? I-I thought he loved Judy and Holly-"

"That was _before_ he came to his little conclusion about himself." Bertha interrupted.

"Well how did he realize that he was..you know…?"

"Gay?" She asked. He rolled his eyes and nodded, but suddenly Bertha looked to the floor. "Well, um, he found out after he kissed a girl."

"Who?" Kevin questioned further.

She was quiet for a second before saying, "Me."

Kevin's eyebrows went further up. "_What_? You like Figglehorn?"

"I _used_ to!" Bertha clarified, becoming herself again. "It was a very brief period of my life. But yes, I once had a thing for Fred. Of course after I kissed him he realized he was playing for the same team so…"

"Wow." Kevin blinked, leaning against the wall again. "I never expected _you_ to have the hots for Fred!"

"Oh don't act so shocked! _You_ of all people know what it's like, so don't even go there!" Kevin, for the first time, chuckled. "I liked Fred once, now he's my gay boyfriend, can we move on?"

"I guess so." Kevin muttered, staring at his feet. Then he asked, "Were you really upset? You know, when he realized?"

Bertha shrugged. "Yeah, at first. But then I saw how much happier he was with himself. And, I mean, I should've _known_. The way he acts, the way he dresses…I don't know. But I don't feel that way toward him anymore. I think I was more just _curious_ about him instead of actually liking him, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah…" Kevin nodded. "So, I should just be honest with him, just like that?"

"Just like that." Bertha smirked, her arms crossed over her chest. "Trust me, you'll feel a whole lot better after you do it."

"But what if he..um…"

"What?"

"What if he rejects me?"

Bertha saw how vulnerable and desperate Kevin looked when he asked that question. He reminded her of a lost puppy, and she felt the need to wrap her arms around him and tell him everything would be okay.

Of course she refrained from the first part.

"I don't like sugarcoating _anything_. It only makes reality worse. So I'll say right now that he might." She saw Kevin's shoulders slump. "But there's also a chance that he won't."

"What makes you think-"

"He was _really_ shaken up after you kissed him. Usually someone would either laugh or just ignore it with their enemy. But he didn't. I think it's because he could have some hidden away feelings for you too. And he's dealing with the same thing you are."

"You think?" Kevin asked, hope flashing in his eyes.

"I don't want to get your hopes up, Kevin. That's just an assumption." Bertha clarified.

Kevin stared at the floor as he shook his head. "It's okay." He looked her in the eyes again. "That's enough for me to actually tell him."

"Really?" Bertha asked, her face lighting up.

"God, I _hate_ being this emotional! I feel like a girl." Kevin groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Well, you _are_ gay…" Bertha muttered. He actually chuckled as she smirked. "So when do you think you'll do it?"

Kevin shrugged. "I don't know. Next time I see him I guess."

Bertha nodded her approval and walked over to the corner of the closet, picking up his hat and handing it to him. "I'm really glad that you opened up to me."

"Hey, you were the only person dumb enough to actually confront me, alright?" He said, his tone almost threatening as it usually was. "Otherwise I wouldn't be breathing a word of this to _anyone_."

"Yeah yeah." She waved her hand, walking passed him and opening the door. They hadn't noticed that while they were in there, the bell had rung and everyone was in class by then. So she walked freely into the hall with him right behind her. "You can thank me later."

"What makes you think I'll do that?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

She merely rolled her eyes. "Oh, I just know it. Especially when I'm the maid of honor at you and Fred's wedding-"

"Shut up." He rolled his eyes, smirking, as he turned and began his way down the hallway.

She chuckled and called, "Good luck!"


End file.
